The present invention relates to dispensers capable of dispensing items that are maintained in a roll format and, more particularly, to a dispenser capable of dispensing items that are maintained in a roll format, wherein the items include a top, self-adhesive layer and a lower release layer.
The United States Post Office has recently provided customers with the option of self-adhesive stamps. For convenience sake, a customer has the further option of buying the self-adhesive stamps in a 100 stamp roll configuration. Without any type of storage and/or dispensing device, the roll configuration is somewhat awkward tending to unwind and/or flop around undesirably. Further, without any type of dispensing device, the user is required to peal away the release liner beneath the self-adhesive stamp. However, because the release liner is the same size as the stamp, i.e., no edge extending beyond the length or width of the stamp, the user must attempt to slide a fingernail or other lifting means beneath the stamp to remove it from the release liner. While removing the stamp from the release liner is not overly burdensome, it can become frustrating and tedious.
As such, various types of stamp dispensers have been developed to aid in the storage and removal of self-adhesive stamps from the release liner. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,384 describes a self-adhesive postage stamp dispenser and applicator that includes a housing with an insertable cartridge. The insertable cartridge incorporates a ratchet wheel that is attached to a strap for grabbing the release liner. Once the release liner is grabbed, it is drawn inside the housing and wrapped about a spool in the cartridge. The numerous components, e.g., housing, cartridge, ratchet wheel, strap and spool, add complexity and cost to the design. Further, because the release liner is spooled within the housing and cartridge, the possibility of a jam, e.g., the bunching of the release liner within the cartridge, exists.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,347 describes a stamp affixer apparatus and method. The affixer in this case includes a rotatable housing as well as two gear assemblies and a drive roller. And, as with the earlier described patent, the release liner is spooled within the housing. Once again, the numerous components add to the complexity and cost of the design while the inner spooling of the release liner presents the possibility of a jam.
Thus, there is a need for a self-adhesive stamp dispenser that has a minimal number of distinct components to reduce the cost and complexity of manufacture of the dispenser. Further, there is a need for a dispenser that eliminates the interior spooling of the release liner to reduce the possibility of jams, and thus, the resetting of the dispenser for operation.
The needs described above are in large measure met by a self-adhesive stamp dispenser of the present invention. The dispenser has only two components, a housing and a roller, thereby reducing the cost and complexity of manufacture and, as well, eliminates the need for interior spooling of the release liner. More specifically, the dispenser includes a housing, having a base portion and a lid portion, and a roller incorporating a tacky surface. The base portion generally includes a stamp cavity for storing the roll of self-adhesive stamps and a roller cavity, which incorporates a number of extending ribs. The roller is positionable within the roller cavity and interfaces with the ribs of the base portion to pull the release liner and expel the release liner through the base portion. The lid portion is releasably closeable over the base portion.
Upon closing the lid portion over the base portion, at least part of the roller extends up through the lid portion thereby presenting itself for manual propulsion. As indicated above, the roller is preferably provided with a tacky surface to aid in propulsion and in the pulling and expelling of the release liner. Both the lid portion and the base portion are preferably provided with a resistance feature. This resistance feature is generally in the form of an extending wall or rib and helps to separate the self-adhesive items from each other upon being dispensed from the dispenser. Further, both the lid portion and the base portion are preferably provided with a centering feature to aid in the centering of the self-adhesive stamps within and about the dispenser. Lid portion and base portion may be unitary in nature, i.e., connected by a living hinge, allowing them to be manufactured as a single mold. Alternatively, the lid portion and the base portion may be manufactured as distinct components and connected via a mechanical hinge.